Christmas Gift
by x.Chaotic.Dreams.x
Summary: Draco's been distant lately and its making Hermione question their relationship. Fluff, Rated T for mild swearing and innocent sex talk. HG/DM


**A/N: Should've been studying for exams and this was bothering me so I had to write it out! Its full of fluffy delight just in time for the Christmas holidays! Sorry it's not beta'ed. My beta is also studying for her exams!**

**Inspiration**: _This Gift _by_ 98Degrees_

"Oh Gin, I know something is wrong." Hermione sat, gnawing nervously, on a chestnut brown leather loveseat situated in the middle of her best friend's apartment. The red head in question walked out of the adjoining kitchen and handed the brunette a steaming cup of mint tea, as she rolled her eyes.

"Mya, you're overreacting. Its just that time of year when everyone is busy, especially Mal- I mean Draco," Ginny corrected quickly when Hermione looked at her slightly annoyed.

"I wish you lot would get over those immature grudges. Its been almost nine months since we started dating." Hermione held the cup with both hands, warding away the winter cold from her body. After Hogwarts, she had joined St Mungo's Mediwitch program specializing in spell reversals of mutated or unusual spells gone awry. Hermione had spent nine years practising, studying, and researching medical magic. As expected, she had become one of the most respected Mediwitches in the world.

It was in the spring of her twenty-sixth year that Draco had entered her world again. He had switched sides after the death of his Godfather and vowed revenge on Voldemort. After the war, he found a place among the Aurors and, along with Harry, moved up the ranks swiftly. The two, now friends, were up for Head of the department.

It had been a quiet night until Harry and Draco came flying into the ward, the latter looking much paler than usual and writhing in pain. She had run over, dropping the paperwork she had been filling out for her last patient. He had been hit by a stray curse after raiding the secret meeting of wannabe death eaters and angry, red veins raised throughout his body, marring his perfect alabaster skin. It had taken her almost a hour to calm his groans of pain and he had fallen asleep under her watchful gaze.

Draco spent a week in St. Mungo's, using all his off time to torment Hermione as much as possible, all in good fun of course. He insisted she eat lunch and dinner with him. On one of her night shifts, they had stayed up all night talking about their school days, their likes and dislikes and in general getting to know each other. He was still his prideful, incessantly annoying, prat self but he had mature out of his spoiled, whiny nature. When he left, the ward felt quiet and lonely, the young nurses especially missed their flirty Casanova.

It was mere days later that she had found out that Harry had been promoted to Head of the Auror Office and a party was being thrown in his honour. All of her school friends were in attendance except for a certain blond. Hermione had searched the massive ballroom in futile. When the heat and excitement of the party became too much, she had excused herself to get some fresh air. It had been there that Hermione found him, staring up at the full moon above with a glass of amber liquid in his hand, the other hand on the balcony railing. They had stayed out in the cool spring air together, basking in each other's company. It was that night that they shared their first kiss in the last snow fall of winter. Nine months later and they seemed as happy as ever. Or so Hermione thought.

"Gin, we haven't seen each other in a week. He used to drop in every spare moment he had when we first started dating. What happened?" Hermione stared into her cup looking for the answers she couldn't find. Ginny sat next to Hermione and patted the tense woman's back. "Is he getting bored with me? You remember what Draco was like back at Hogwarts. A new girl every week. He'd shag her and leave her."

"But you haven't given him any... have you?" Ginny looked over at the now cherry red woman seated next to her. Disbelief flooded the fiery woman's expression. "Bloody Hell! You have! How was it?" Ginny snuggled a little closer to get the inside scoop. Before Hermione could get a word in Ginny spoke again, "Don't get me wrong, Harry satisfies me in every way, we have three beautiful children as proof, but I've always wondered what it would be like to...you know...with a Slytherin. Like Draco's friend Blaise. Now he looks like fu-"

"Ginny, I haven't told you the worst part yet." She interrupted before Ginny could get another word in. "I saw him in Muggle London with another woman. Well not just any woman but Astoria Greengrass."

Ginny pulled away from her in disbelief, gasping loudly. "Are you serious?" Hermione lowered her head, nodding slowly. Hermione pulled her knees towards her chest and placed her arms around her shins after resting her now cooled cup of tea on the table next to her. Sighing loudly, she placed her head on her knees and blinked back tears.

"Oh Hermione, I am sure they weren't doing anything," Ginny stroked Hermione's tamed tresses in an attempt to calm the sniffling girl. "They have been friend's since the were children. They might've been just catching up."

"You didn't see the way she was touching his arm. They didn't look like fri-" Hermione had been cut off by two screaming boys fighting over a replica Hungarian Horntail dragon plush toy, a present from their Uncle Charlie. Their mother raised from her position next to Hermione to separate the two dark haired boys.

"ITS MINE!" James yelled at his younger brother, snatching it out of the Albus' reach. Tears filled the little green-eyes of the younger Potter and he began to sob quietly running into his mother's arms.

"Mine, mine, mine! Dragon mine!" The two-year old cried as Ginny picked him up, giving her oldest child a stern look.

"James Sirius Potter, what have I told you about sharing with Albus. If I hear him cry one more time no play trips to your cousin's house. You hear me?" James lowered his chocolate eyes, nodding in defeat as he handed over the dragon to his brother. Ginny put down her youngest boy and turned back to Hermione to find her gone.

"Hermione?" Ginny searched the kitchen and bathroom for her friend. In a panic Ginny penned a carefully worded note to her old enemy.

When the grey-brown elf owl entered his office and dropped the note on his desk, he had just finished the last bit of paperwork that kept him locked away in his personal dungeon. Draco grabbed the parchment and lazily unfolded it. His steel grey eyes gliding over the words, his expression becoming increasingly more confused with each word.

_Malfoy,_

_I don't know what your game is but if you intend on hurting Hermione then leave her alone. She saw you with Astoria and I for one will not let you anywhere near Hermione if you are cheating on her! Consider this your final warning! Fix this or I swear, I'll make it so that even Hermione can't fix you!_

_-G. Potter_

Draco ran his hand through his silvery, blond hair. He got up from his chair, grabbing his robe and ran towards Harry's office. Twisting the handle quickly, Draco stuck his head in.

"I am taking off for the day. If you need me, don't owl me! Ok? Bye" Without waiting for a reply from the now flabbergasted Harry, the ex-Slytherin took off for the floo network. Grabbing a handful of the powder, he stood in front of the fireplace.

"St. Mungo's- Curse ward." He stepped through the green fire and out the other end into Hermione's ward. She was working the night shift and should've been there by now. He walked up to the older, stout woman behind the check in desk and inquired about Hermione.

"Sorry Darling. She hasn't come in yet." He signed, his eyebrows knitting in concern. There was only one place he could think of that she could be. Draco hurried towards the elevator bank and grabbed the first one towards the roof of the hospital. His face reddened slightly as he burst into the cold night air. The sun had just set and the lights of the city below lit the figure in front of him. Even without the light, he would recognize her anywhere. The woman who saved him, in more ways than she knew. He silently padded over to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, her warmth warming him to his very core. She jumped in surprise before she pulled herself out of his embrace. He frowned at the loss of her presence. He sighed and place his hand on her shoulder to which she shrugged off.

"Hermione. Love, what wrong? Why are you ignoring me?" He asked, desperation evident in his voice. When she refused to respond, keeping her eyes trained on the full moon, fighting back the tears. He grabbed her arm and forced her to face him. "Ginny sent me a letter. I know you know I was with Astoria last week. Trust me though, I was not cheating on you."

Hermione gazed into his silver flecked eyes and searched for the truth in them. "Then what were you doing with her?"

"Nothing, honest. We met up for coffee and a chat." The truth of his words didn't reach his eyes and Hermione shook her head.

"Stop lying to me, Draco. I can tell you aren't being truthful." She pulled away from his hold and turned her back to him again.

He sighed and stepped back from her, the gravel on the roof crunching as he shuffled about. "I wanted to wait until Chrismas, but I guess its the only thing that will convince you I'm telling the truth."

Hermione turned on her heel to look at him, her words caught in her throat at the sight of Draco down on one knee. In his hand, he held out a small red velvet box.

"Hermione Jean Granger, you are the only woman I could ever see myself with. You keep me grounded, call me out when I am being a prick, and you make me want to be a better man. You are the woman I want to wake up to, come home to and go to bed with. You are a gift from heaven. Make me the happiest man in the world and I will never give you a chance to regret it. Will you marry me?"

Draco's eyes sparkled with hope in the moonlight as he bared his soul to her, the ring in his slim fingers his only competition. A crystal clear diamond mounted on a tasteful gold and silver band. Simple but elegant. Only the best for his woman. If only she would say yes! Hermione stood before him, her mouth slightly ajar.

"But Astoria... why were you two-" Draco cut her off with his explination.

"This ring was actually my grandmother's. When Astoria and I were betrothed as children, Lucius gave it to the Greengrasses as proof. I hadn't thought about it in years, until I met you."

Hermione didn't know if he was blushing because of the cold or his confession but whatever it was she had had enough. With tears in her eyes, she launch herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Not expecting her to attack him, he lost his balance and they fell back with her on top of him.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" Her lips met his with each exclamation. He grabbed her possessively around her waist and kissed back with as much passion and vigor. They pulled away long enough for him to place the ring on her finger. The newly engaged pair laid in the cold with their bodies entwined together, their lips never leaving the others. They hadn't even noticed the fluffy white snow descending from the heavens blessing their new union. The first snow of the season and the beginning of their new lives together.

**Was it fluffy enough? I feel like it wasn't! Hope you enjoyed! R&R! It makes me study harder! XD**


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